Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Majesty of the Lord

Luke’s Second Volume

1 ·To [^LO] Theophilus [^Ca name meaning “Lover of God”; probably a specific individual, though possibly addressing all who love God].

The ·first [or former; previous] ·book [account; ^Ca reference to the Gospel of Luke] I wrote was about everything Jesus began to do and teach ² until the day he was taken up into heaven. Before this, ·with the help of [through] the Holy Spirit, Jesus ·told [instructed; commanded] the apostles he had chosen [Luke 6:13] what they should do. ³ After his ·death [^Lsuffering], he showed himself to them and ·proved [provided undeniable evidence] in many ways that he was alive [Luke 24:13–49]. The apostles saw Jesus during the forty days after he was raised from the dead, and he spoke to them about the kingdom of God. ⁴ Once when he was ·eating [or staying; meeting] with them, he ·told [commanded] them not to leave Jerusalem. He said, “Wait here to receive the promise from the Father [^Cthe gift of the Holy Spirit] which I told you about [Luke 24:49]. ⁵ John baptized people ·with [or in] water [Luke 3:1–20], but in a few days you will be baptized ·with [by; or in] the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus Is Taken Up into Heaven

⁶ When the apostles were all together, they ·asked [kept asking] Jesus, “Lord, are you ·now [at this time] going to ·give the kingdom back [restore the kingdom] to Israel [^CIsrael had lived for centuries under the oppression of foreign nations; Jer. 16:15; 23:8; Hos. 11:8–11; the disciples were expecting the messianic kingdom; Is. 9:1–7; 11:1–16]?”

⁷ Jesus said to them, “The Father is the only One who has the ·authority [or power] to ·decide [set] dates and times [Mark 13:32]. These things are not for you to know. ⁸ But when the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive power. You will be my witnesses—in Jerusalem [2:1—8:3], in all of Judea, in Samaria [8:4—11:18], and ·in every part of the world [to the ends of the earth; 11:19—28:31; Luke 24:45–48].”

⁹ After he said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud ·hid him from [or took him out of; ^Ca reference to the cloud chariot; Dan. 7:13–14] their sight [^Ca description of Christ’s ascension into heaven]. ¹⁰ As he was going, they were ·looking [staring; gazing] into the ·sky [heavens]. Suddenly, two men wearing white clothes [^Cangels] stood beside them. ¹¹ They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here ·looking into [staring at] ·the sky [heaven]? Jesus, whom you saw taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go [^Con a cloud; Luke 21:27].”

God, the King of the World

For the director of music. A psalm of the sons of Korah [^Cdescendants of Kohath, son of Levi, who served as Temple musicians; 1 Chr. 6:22].

The Majesty of the Lord

Paul’s Prayer

¹⁵ That is why ·since [or because] I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all ·God’s people [^Tthe saints], ¹⁶ I ·have not stopped [never cease] giving thanks to God for you. I always remember you in my prayers, ¹⁷ asking the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you ·a spirit of wisdom [or spiritual wisdom; or the Spirit of wisdom] and revelation so that you will know him better. ¹⁸ I pray also that ·you will have greater understanding in your heart [^Lthe eyes of your heart may be enlightened] so you will ·know [comprehend] the hope to which he has called us and that you will know ·how rich and glorious are the blessings God has promised [the riches of his glorious inheritance for; or the glorious wealth of an inheritance that God possesses in] ·his holy people [^Tthe saints]. ¹⁹ And you will know that God’s power is ·very [exceedingly; overwhelmingly] great for us who believe. That power ·is the same as [or was demonstrated in] the great strength ²⁰ God ·used [exerted] to raise Christ from the dead and ·put [^Lseat] him at his right ·side [^Lhand; Ps. 110:1; Acts 2:34] in the heavenly ·world [realm; places]. ²¹ God has put Christ ·over [far above] all rulers, authorities, powers, and ·kings [lords; dominion], and every other ·title given [^Lname that is named] not only in this ·world [age] but also in the ·next [coming one]. ²² God ·put [subjected] everything under his ·power [^Lfeet; Ps. 8:6] and ·made him the head over everything for the church [or gave him to the church as head over all things], which is his body. ²³ ·The church is filled with Christ [or The church completes Christ; ^L…the fullness of the one], who fills ·everything in every way [or all things everywhere; ^Lall in all].

⁴⁴ He said to them, “·Remember [^LThis is what I said….] when I was with you before? I said that everything written about me must ·happen [be fulfilled]—everything in the law of Moses, the books of the prophets, and the Psalms [^Ca way of referring to the whole Old Testament; see v. 27].”

⁴⁵ Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He said to them, “It is written that the ·Christ [Messiah] would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day ⁴⁷ and that ·a change of hearts and lives and [^Lrepentance for the] forgiveness of sins would be preached in his name to all nations, starting at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ [^LAnd look/^Tbehold] I will send you what my Father has promised, but you must stay in ·Jerusalem [^Lthe city] until you ·have received [^Lare clothed with] that power from ·heaven [^Lon high].”

Jesus Goes Back to Heaven

⁵⁰ Jesus led his followers as far as Bethany, and he raised his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he ·was separated [parted] from them and ·carried [taken up] into heaven. ⁵² They worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem ·very happy [with great joy]. ⁵³ They ·stayed in the Temple all the time [were continually in the Temple], praising God.